1. Field of the Invention
The invention teaches a hand-operated tool for applying a plant food or fertilizer to the soil, and more,in particular, it teaches an apparatus for displacing the soil in a flower or vegetable garden and replacing it with a fertilizer or plant food.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Examples of devices for applying a plant food or fertilizer into the soil which I have uncovered in the course of searching for anticipations include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,857,864 to Cromer describes a device where fertilizer is removed from a hopper and driven into the ground through a gear-driven system.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,902,953 to Young teaches a use of tap water to operate a jet siphon.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,290,821 illustrates use of a stick-type fertilizer which is slip-fit over a spike which is driven into the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,863 to Chan teaches a tapered container which is driven into the ground, the container being divided into compartments, each containing plant nutrients. Control is practiced by means of a sleeve circumscribing one of the compartments. The other compartment contains bars of iron as a source of iron rust for the plant life.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,962 to Chan discloses a wind driven collector for conveying air and rainwater in combination with fertilizer to the plant roots.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,815 to Winkler is a device for forcing bullet-shaped pellets of fertilizer into the ground.
Obviously, it is known to supplement soil with plant food or fertilizer for stimulating plant growth.
Known is the practice of distributing the fertilizer by hand around the plants and on the soil surface. Of course this is an inefficient method; the fertilizer can be easily washed or blown away.
Another method is to use a tool to apply the fertilizer or plant food into the soil, such as exemplified by the above cited art.